Shervil

Shervil, Next Step Graduate, Class of 2025

Back to the stage.

I am living proof that it’s never too late to go after your dreams, no matter your age, your past, or the obstacles in your way. I’m going to be 50 years old at the end of this year. And after all these years, all the ups, the downs, the responsibilities, the sacrifices I can finally say something I’ve waited a long time to feel: I’m proud of myself.

Why? Because I went back to school and I earned my high school diploma. 

That’s right — after all these years, I am officially part of the Class of 2025. And let me tell you, those words mean the world to me.

Let me take you back a little. I dropped out of high school in the 11th grade. It was 1992. Life moved fast after that. I started a family, raised six children, and I never even thought about going back to school. I was focused on surviving, on providing, on being a mom.

And even though I didn’t have a diploma, I always pushed education on my kids. I told them how important it was to finish what they started. Four of them have already graduated. What they didn’t know was that I hadn’t. I carried that silently. 

But then something happened that changed everything. I was working a contracted position with Meta, yes, the company that used to be Facebook, when our department was moved to a different company. We had to reapply for our positions. One of the questions on the application hit me right in the chest, Do you have a high school diploma?

This time, it was required.

Now, I had a decision to make. I could lie, or I could be honest. I chose honesty. I told the hiring manager the truth. I don't have a diploma, but I’m about to go get it.

And do you know what happened? They let me stay.

They gave me a chance. 

That moment was my wake-up call. I enrolled at Next Step. And to my surprise, I wasn’t that far behind. So I hit the ground running, working during the day, doing assignments at night, being a mom, and still running my business. It was hard, but I kept pushing. 

And then I did it. I got my diploma.

That moment I found out I passed, it felt like a weight I didn’t even realize I was carrying, had finally lifted. 

But I didn’t stop there. I asked myself, “What’s next?”

Since I already own a business, I knew I needed to learn more, not just how to run it, but how to grow it. So, I signed up for college and am getting support through Next Step’s College Transition Program. I’m now studying for my Associate of Science degree in Business and, if everything goes to plan, I’ll graduate in 2027 — the same year my youngest daughter graduates from high school.

We’re going to walk that stage together. Mother and daughter, different platforms, one high school the other college. 

July 11, 2025. That was the day my children saw me walk across the stage, not just as their mom, but as someone who never gave up.

Everything I’ve done, every class, every test, every late night unpacks this truth: it's never too late to go after your dreams. 

I’ve learned that failure is just a part of the journey. And age? That’s just a number. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been, or how far off track you think you are. If you’re breathing, you still have time.

FAILURE IS NOT FINAL. DREAMS DON’T EXPIRE. AND IT’S NEVER TOO LATE.

So if no one’s ever told you this, let me be the first: you can still finish what you started.